Bucknell University
2-5,0-0Patriot
Temple
2-4,0-0AAC
Women's Basketball Falls to Temple, 77-62
11/27/2022 5:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LEWISBURG, Pa. -Â A hot-shooting Temple team connected on 32 of 59 field goals (54.2 percent), including 9 of 15 (60.0 percent) from 3-point range, to defeat the Bucknell women's basketball team 77-62 Sunday evening at Sojka Pavilion. The Owls were led by Aleah Nelson, who scored 23 points highlighted by 6 of 9 shooting from behind the arc.
Bucknell (2-5) was led by 16 points apiece from Isabella King and Cecelia Collins. The Bison were shooting close to 50 percent for most of the contest, and finished the game 20-for-47 (42.6 percent).
Temple (2-4) built a 13-point advantage (45-32) early in the third quarter, but Bucknell was able to respond and narrow its deficit to six points on multiple occasions. A 24-10 run by the Owls gave them their largest lead of 20 points with just under four minutes to play in the contest.
Emma Shaffer totaled six points, four rebounds and a career-high six assists for the Bison.
After struggling from beyond the arc in Friday's game at Syracuse, Bucknell made 8 of 20 attempts (40 percent) on Sunday as King finished 4 of 7 from long range.
Temple led 32-23 in rebounds and forced 14 Bison turnovers.
"They shot the ball as well as anybody in a long time against us," said head coach Trevor Woodruff. "I think you give them more than a little bit of credit, I think you give them a lot of credit. They did everything they had to do. I do think there were a lot of good possessions at both ends for us, offensively and defensively. Some of our best defensive possessions ended with baskets for them because it just didn't matter, they still finished the play or they made a tough shot."
The Bison battled early in the game with six lead changes occurring over the first half. Bucknell led 28-26 with just over six minutes remaining in the second quarter before the Owls finished the half on a 13-4 run. The two teams were also tied at 21 apiece at the conclusion of the first quarter.
Bucknell led by as many as six in the opening frame after knocking down 3 of 5 from beyond the arc. The Bison shot 54.5 percent over the first 10 minutes, with King going 2-for-2 from long range and pouring in an early eight points, but Temple managed to sink a pair of 3-pointers over the final 36 seconds of the quarter to tie the game.
A pair of Collins buckets and a Remi Sisselman three at the 7:32 mark in the second quarter kept the Bison advantage at four points (28-24), but the Owls ended the half on a 15-4 run while shooting 61.5 percent for the frame to carry a 39-32 lead into the locker rooms.
Temple was even hotter coming out of the break, shooting 64.3 percent in the third and scoring the first six points of the half to build a double-digit lead. The Bison continued to shoot well also, knocking down 50 percent of their shots and matching Temple's three 3-pointers in the third, but they were unable to get any closer than six of tying.
Temple scored the final five points of the third, which turned into an 11-0 run that finally ended with 6:23 remaining on the clock in the fourth quarter.
Once the deficit hit 20 points in the fourth, Bucknell held the Owls off the scoreboard over the final 3:54 of the game, but the Bison were unable to draw closer than 15 the rest of the way.
Sisselman was the third Bison to finish with double-digit points, scoring 11 on 3 of 6 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers. She also handed out three assists. Collins added four assists and was 5 of 6 at the foul line.
"If we handle this adversity correctly, then playing all these difficult games will be a huge bonus. If you don't, it can have the adverse effect," said Woodruff. "If we handle it correctly, these games will only help."
Bucknell remains at Sojka Pavilion on Wednesday to host St. Bonaventure at 4:30 p.m. The contest precedes the men's 7 p.m. game against Saint Francis.
